218 HEXANDRIA MONOGYNIA 



tube. Ovary superior; style triquetrous, finally 3-parted. Capsule 

 3-celled, 3-valved (3 connate l-cellcd capsules?), opening partially at 

 summit, many-seeded. 



Herbaceous: leaves radical, entire, stellatcly spreading ; scape simple ; flowers 

 in a terminal raceme, or spike. Nat. Orel. *2\7. Lirull. Asphodeleje. 



1. A. faiuxosa, L. Leaves lanceolate, acuminate, glabrous ; flowers 

 racemose, subsessile ; perianth rugosc-inuricate. Becky Bot. p. 364. 

 A. alba. Mx. Am. \.p. 189. Pur*h>Am. l./;.22f>. 



Mealy Albtris. Vulgo — Star Grass. Colic root. 



Root perennial, truncated. Leaves spreading on the ground, 3 to 6 inches lone 

 and half an inch to 3 quarters wide, with parallel nerves, pale yellowish green 

 and of a dry texture. Scape 2 to 3 feet high, terete, striate, smooth, with several 

 small remote leaves, or brads. Raceme 6 to 12 or to inches long \Jloxcers numer- 

 ous, but not crowded ; pedicels very short, each with 1 or 2 subulate bracts at base 

 scarcely half as long as the flowers. Perianth white, tubular, about 1 third of an 

 inch long, minutely rugose-muricate externally, appearing as if covered with a 

 rough powder; segments short, spreading, thickened and yellowish at the tin. 

 Stamens very short, inserted at the base of the perianth-segment9. Ovary ovoid 

 adnate at base to the perianth, tapering at apex to a triquetrous style (3 united 

 styles ?> about as long as the perianth. Capsule coated with the rough persistent 

 perianth, trigonous-ovoid, acuminate, 3-celled (resembling 3 connate capsules) 

 opening at apex, and the persistent style separating into three, but often cohering 

 at summiu Seeds numerous, minute, oblong, reddish, longitudinally striate with 

 purple ril.s. 



Bab. Open grassy woodlands; borders of thickets: frequent. Fl. July. Fr. Sent. 

 Obs. The root of this is bitter ; and has been used as a remedy for Intcrmittcnts, 

 One other species has been enumerated in the U. States ; but it seems to be scarce- 

 ly more than a variety. < 



171. ASPARAGUS. L. JsTutU Gen. 3£2. 

 [Supposed from the Greek, Asparagos ; a young shoot, or Turion. Vide Lexicon.} 



Perianth 6-parted ; segments linear-oblong, erect. Ovary superior, 

 turbinate ; style very short ; stiginas 3. Berry 3-celled ; cells 2- 

 seeded. 



Herbaceous, or fndicosc : unarmed, or aculeate; leaves mostly fasciculato; flow- 

 ers often solitary, and axillary. Nat. Ord. 247. Lindl Asphodeleje. 



1. A. officinalis, L. Unarmed; stem herbaceous, erect, much 

 branched; leaves fasciculate, setaceous and flexible ; peduncles ar- 

 ticulated in the middle. Beck, Bot. p. 363. 



Officinal Aspauagtjs. Vulgo — Asparagus. Sparrow-grass. 

 Gallicc — isperge. Germanice— Ber Spar gel. Hispznice-Esparrago. 

 Root perennial, creeping. Stern 3 to 6 feet high ; the turions, or young shoots, at 

 first simple, finally much branched, smooth. Leaves half an inch to an inch or 

 more in length, very narrate, filiform, fiat, acute, smooth, in fascicles of 3 to 10 or 

 12, with minute ovate acuminate scarious stipules at base. Flowers axillary, soli- 

 tary, or in pairs ; peduncles about half an inch long, slender, articulated near the 

 middle. Perianth ptde greenish yellow. Berries globose, slightly umbilicats, red 

 -hchen mature. 



Hab. Qardsns ; common. Fl. June- July. Fr. September. 



